Chemists and chemistry students routinely work with flammable chemicals in the lab. Liquid hydrocarbons, such as kerosene and hexane, are as explosively flammable as gasoline. Fire started in a chemistry lab can spread quickly, especially if other chemicals are knocked into the fire. To combat this danger, Bunsen burners are always turned off when not in use, loose clothing is discouraged and lighters are forbidden.
There are two kinds of burns possible to get in a chemistry lab: chemical burns and heat burns. Chemistry students routinely work with powerful acids and bases, like hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide, which can cause tissue damage if they come into prolonged contact with the skin. Chemical burns are avoided by pouring carefully, using eyedroppers and having chemical burn treatments on hand. Heat burns can be caused by metal or glass heated during the course of an experiment. Hot metal glows with a dull light, but hot glass looks no different than cold glass, so exercise extra caution when handling glass.
Nothing should ever be swallowed or come into contact with your mouth when you're doing experiments. Chemistry labs contain hundreds of toxic chemicals and substances, including arsenic and lead. Some poisons, like mercury, can also pass through the skin and into the bloodstream. Avoid poisoning by keeping the mouth closed when handling toxic materials, avoiding spillage and flushing the skin with water whenever contacted by any chemical or material. If you swallow anything during chemistry lab, immediately consult the chemist for instructions. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed to do so.
Anything spilled into your eye while you're in a chemistry lab should be treated immediately; many, if not most, of the materials in a chemical lab can cause permanent eye damage if not dealt with promptly. Flush the afflicted eye with water for at least five minutes while a chemist chooses the best course of action. Chemistry labs have eye-washing stations available for such emergencies. Eye goggles should always be worn when you conduct experiments, so eye damage should be an exceedingly rare event.